title: Loneliness and vascular biomarkers: the Dublin Healthy Ageing Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Loneliness has been associated with poor physical health and a link has been suggested between the presence of loneliness, cardiovascular health and inflammatory markers.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association between vascular disease biomarkers and loneliness in a community-dwelling non-demented elderly population.
  
  
  METHODS
  cross-sectional community based assessment.
  
  
  METHODS
  466 subjects with mean age 75.45 (SD, 6.06) years. 208 (44.6%) were male.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher levels of HbA1c, but not other vascular biomarkers were independently associated with being lonely.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Loneliness was associated with raised levels of HbA1c in a community dwelling elderly population. The mechanism for this association has yet to be elucidated but may reflect an abnormal stress response in people who are lonely.
authors.affiliation: Mercer's Institute for Research in Ageing, St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland. drconor22@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: O'Luanaigh
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: O'Connell
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Chin
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Coen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Coakley
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Molloy
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Lawlor
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008132:Loneliness / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D006710:Homocysteine; D008055:Lipids; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human